Process of treating wool-grease and product thereof.



rrn

GABLETON ELLIS, 0F MONTCLAIR, NEW JERSEY.

?atented Feb. 19, rain.

1 5,351 Specification of Letters Patent.

No mawing. Application filed February 7, 1912. Serial No. 675,980.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, Csnnmron ELLIS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Montclair, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes of Treating Wool-Grease and the Product Thereof, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the process of making mixtures of purified wool grease and the like of improved quality and relates in catalytic material. Or t particular to the production of lanolin mixtures or lanolin-like composite bodies, 2'. c., bodi'es resembling lanolinin composition or qualities. all as more fully hereinafter de scribed and as claimed.

The manufacture of lanolin in the usual way involves a long series of treatments to remove from the crude wool grease its disagreeable odor The present invention has forone of ts objects the production of lanolin like bodles without resort to this costly treatment by simple treatment with hydrogen under conditions bringing about the absorption of the latter by the offensively smelling and unsaturated components of the wool grease.

It has been shown by Sabatierand Senderens and others that unsaturated bodies take up hydrogen in the presence of nickel and other catalyzers to form saturated compounds. The present invention is based on this reaction and the methods herein set forth afiord products new in the art and of great utility. I

In carrying out my process I take a good quality of wool grease, for' example, and subject it to the action of hydrogen at a temperature of from say 150 C. to 200 C. or thereabout in the presence of a catalyst such as a metallic nickel or palladium, preferably supported on a mineral carrier such as pumice or infusorial-earth. Preferably the hydrogen-is applied at about 10 pounds pressure,-although greater or less pressures may be used if desired. The melted wool grease may be agitated with the catalyzer or as indicated in U. S. Letters Patent No. 1,026,156,:simply allowed to flowalong a trough carrying a linin or deposit of the e material may be sprayed along with the catalyzer into an atmosphere of hydrogen. If desired -'water gas or other hy rogen containing gas may be and its yellow or brown color.

used in lieu of pure hydrogen. In order to purrfv hydrogen obtained from sources con taming arsenic and the like which seem to oison the catalyzer or impair its efliciency,

may pass this gas over basic slag or other absorptive material to furnish a gas inert as regards depreciation of the catalyzer. Steam in a superheated condition may also be used in certain instances, especially when a light colored productof special consistency is desired.

Catalytic nickel may be obtained for example by igniting nickel nitrate on a suitable supporting material and reducing in a current of hy rogen at the requisite temperature. Prolonged heating in a'current of nitrogen or atmosphere thereof, after re duction, affords a catalyst not easily oxidizable by superheated steam.

The hydrogenated wool grease may if desired be used without further purification but if a refined or lanolin-like product is required the hydrogenated material may be washed and bleached if necessary, and .in case it be desired to remove bodies soluble in tions may be resorted to. Without further treatment than hydrogenation as above indicated the wool grease usually has an improved consistency and appearance, which gives these products a wider scope of use in the arts.

The use of a metallic catalyzer in the presable manner the metallo-organic com ound and then gradually heating until the ecomposition'point is reached. This temperature may thus establish the conditions governing ihe procedure with respect to the material in The product of. the present invention is an alkali, washing with dilute alkaline soluence of an acid body may cause the forma-- ably-is determined by forming in any suit-- unctuous material of good consistency and is no a mixtureflcomprising the'naturally saturated compounds of wool grease and the ar-' tificially saturated compounds thereof.

What Iclaim is l. The process of improving the quality of Wool grease which comprises treating with wool, grease which comprises treating with hydrogen free from arsenic, at about 10 pounds pressure, in the presence of a nickel catalyst.

5. The process of improving the quality of wool grease which comprises treating with hydrogen free from arsenic, at about 10 pounds pressure and at a temperature above' the temperature of-decomposition of nickel soap, in the presence of a nickel catalyst.

6. The process of improving the quality of wool grease which comprises treating same osasav with hydrogen, free from arsenic, at about ten pounds pressure and at a temperature about 10 C. above that of decomposition of nickel soap, in the presence of a nickel catalyst.

7. The process of making mixed lanolinlike bodies which comprises treating wool grease and the. like with hydrogen in the presence of a nickel catalyst and at a temnickel soaps of Wool ease.

8. The herein descri ed process of improving the quality of wool grease, which conslsts in hydrogenat'ing the oifensively smelling unsaturated constituents of such grease.

9. As an unctuous material of good consistency, a mixture comprising the naturally saturated compounds of wool grease, and

artificially (hydrogen) saturated compounds thereof.

Signed at Montclair, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, this 5th day of February, A. D. 1912.

* GARLETON ELLIS.

Witnesses:

BIBDELLA M. ELLIs, NATHANIEL L. Fos'rnn.

perature above that of decomposition of 

